Rock Climbing: Mastering Basic Skills (Mountaineers Outdoor Expert)

that the best instructions you get from Luebben and the skills you acquire are no match for Mother Nature. Craig Luebben is dead after being hit by debris from falling ice in the North Cascades 2009.

This book covers all the basics from climbing techniques for all sorts of different types of climbing, such as face climbing, crack climbing, etc, to how to sport and trad climb. I use it a lot to refresh my memory on different types of nots used in building anchors and how to get off belay to potentially help the second climber coming up. I also learned lots about different types of top belaying. It doesn't always contain... Read Full Review

Guide, author and climbing gear inventor Craig Luebben's book won a National Outdoor Book award and it's well deserved. For anyone taking up rock climbing, or wanting to bring their knowledge up-to-date this is the book to start with. It's well organized and well-illustrated. Luebben starts the basics of pure climbing - footwork, holds and jams along with special climbing challenges like chimneys and off-widths (he's the... Read Full Review

Buy it, read it, use it! Mastering Basic Skills should be purchased at the same time as one's first pair of rock shoes. This book is as comprehensive as Freedom of the Hills but written for the rock climbing niche. It delivers a full spectrum of skills and knowledge every climber should develop. From placing protection to footwork to knots and anchors to self-rescue techniques, it's in there. The way information is parceled... Read Full Review

Craig Luebben's new book represents a huge leap forward in climbing skills manuals. Though many excellent skills manuals exist (including Luebben's past works and the vaunted but unweildy Freedom of the Hills which goes beyond rock climbing into aplinism and mountaineering) this manual really sepetrates itself with its patient explanations and particularly with its photo instructions with added graphics for clarity. Many... Read Full Review